Do You Really Understand Dominance?

Many of our clients explain to us that their dog’s bad behavior is a result of him being “dominant.” In fact, we’ve seen just about every inappropriate dog behavior blamed on dominance – from pulling on leashes to jumping up to laying on the couch. Is this correct?

It is not correct. Dominance is not a character trait; it simply describes the social relationship between two or more beings. Contrary to what many canine owners believe, dogs do not spend their time trying to get control over humans. They simple act and react as based on their experience and training.

If you re-examine the unwanted behavior with dominance out of the picture, you will discover the perspective that makes Sit Means Sit so successful. For example, if a dog is pulling on his leash, he simply has not been taught to walk beside you. That is fixable. What if he jumps up on you? Well, he has not been taught this is a bad behavior. The same goes for laying on the couch. If your dog will not let you clip his nails, it is likely he thinks it’s uncomfortable or he is frightened. All of these issues are amendable, given time and patience.

At the end of the day, you are your dog’s caretaker. That means you need to decide what you want your dog to do instead of the negative behavior. Teach the new behavior and reward your dog when he shows it. Better yet, bring him to our dog obedience school in Madison, Wisconsin. Our professional dog trainers will get both of you off to a good start. Call today!

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